I Refuse To Follow These Instructions

Posted on October 27, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

But my friend Malik Russell sent them to me, and the email was too good not to post. 😉

Subject: FW: NOVEMBER 5TH ETIQUETTE

Good Morning My People – After watching the final debate the other night, it dawned on me that Obama could actually win this thing. If that happens, there will be alot of people (some of our co-workers included) who will be afraid that an Obama presidency will usher in the end of days. They’ll be watching us on November 5th (the day after the election) for signs of the end times.To keep the peace and keep a lot of folks from getting nervous, I think we should develop a list of acceptable celebrations and behaviors weshould probably avoid – at least for the first few days:

1. No crying, hugging or shouting ‘Thank you Lord’ – at least not in public

2 No high-fives – at least not unless the area is clear and there are no witnesses

3 No laughing at the McCain/Palin supporters

4 No calling in sick on November 5th. They’ll get nervous if too many of us don’t show up.

5 We’re allowed to give each other knowing winks or nods in passing. Just try to keep from grinning too hard.

6. No singing loudly, We’ve come this Far By Faith (it will be acceptable to hum softly)

7. No bringing of barbeque ribs or fried chicken for lunch in the company lunchroom for at least a week (no chittlings at all) (this may make us seem to ethnic)

8. No leaving kool-aid packages at the water fountain (this might be a sign that poor folks might be getting a break through)

9. No Cupid Shuffle during breaks (this could indicate a little too much excitement)

10. Please no Moving on Up music (we are going to try to remain humble)

11. No doing the George Jefferson dance (unless you’re in your office with the door closed)

12. Please try not to yell—-BOOOO YAH!

13. Just in case you’re wondering, Doing the Running Man, cabbage patch, or a backhand spring on the highway is 100% okay.
If I’ve missed anything feel free to add to the list. I just want to make sure we’re all on the same page when Obama brings this thing home on November 5th.
Now go get your early vote on and let’s make this thing happen!!!

Did You See…….

Posted on October 20, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

Torturing Democracy

“Torturing Democracy” when it slipped onto public television this month? If not, PLEASE go to the site and watch it, and you’ll see why the PBS folks are not that thrilled. Of course, this level of cowardice from PBS isn’t exactly new.

Brief Book Review: Post-HipHoppers

Posted on October 3, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

This brand-new book occupies the intellectual space between Kevin Powell’s essay collections and Bakari Kitwana’s seminal work.

M.K. Asante, Jr., a filmmaker, poet and college professor, adds his name to the list of young (under 45 🙂 ) Blacks who’ve written works that seek to combine journalism, personal essays and contemporary history, using hiphop of the point of departure. He is an optimistic self-described “artivist,” a 26-year-old writing to inspire younger people who will pick up this book because of its title. It’ll be their text for Black Contemporary Socio-Political Development 101, and believe me, they need it.

Get this book for the teenager (or college-aged young adult) in your life and make him or her read it. Then make him or her look up all of the authors he mentions.

If A Conservative Is A Liberal Who Got Mugged……

Posted on September 29, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

…..and a Black Nationalist is an integrationist who got called “Nigger” one too many times, does that mean, somewhat conversely, that the staff of “On The Media” are, at heart, Pacifica folks who wanted to pay their mortgages? 😉 Or do the folks at WNYC have the luxury of holding onto that old-school idea that practicing true journalism means calling bullshit bullshit (albeit indirectly) when that’s what it is? LOL!

I Thought The Second Hip Hop Green Party Candidate……..

Posted on July 15, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

….did a great job on her Green Party Vice Presidential nomination acceptance speech. I look forward to voting for her in future elections.

Congrats To Pacifica And WPFW……….

Posted on July 6, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

WPFW

……for the single greatest radio broadcast I’ve heard yet.

The Fourth of July as “Freedom Of Speech Day!” What a concept!

I couldn’t believe the careful balance of time, place, geography, race, and gender that was attempted for those nine hours of radio—From Paul Robeson to George Carlin to Maurice Bishop to Coretta Scott King to Sam Cooke.

Again, Congrats! I can now officially say I celebrate the Fourth!

P.S. To ‘PFW: If you can, use that day’s broadcast as the main pledge offering from now on!

Let's Take A Poll!

Posted on June 27, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

Was this hour of NPR’s “The Diane Rehm Show” really as scary as it sounded? Let me know.

More proof that it’s not a conspiracy if a) it’s out in the open, and b) the targets don’t have the same level of power as the “conspirators.”

The Family

The King's Tome

Posted on June 16, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

The new biography of Jack Kirby really isn’t that; it’s an authorized, more-polite-than-it-should-be version of his life used as an excuse to showcase his great art. And thank God for it.

Jack Kirby is responsible for two-thirds of every childhood smile I ever made. Period. The Fantastic Four. The Silver Surfer. The Incredible Hulk. The Mighty Thor. The Black Panther. The Uncanny X-Men. ‘Nuff said.

Thanks to Mark Evanier for putting it together. He told the story of a man who created hundreds of universes in order to take care of his most important one: his wife and children. Jack Kirby, the immortal hero whose superpower was unlimited imagination.

Spike, Clint And The Rights Of Writers

Posted on June 16, 2008 by drumsintheglobalvillage

Okay, look, I don’t have a horse in this race (pun intended 🙂 ), but I’ll just say this:

As a writer and a historian, I think people have the right to tell any story any way they want. And other people have the equal right to publicly criticize that telling, and tell their own stories in defense/offense. And then those stories get criticized. And on and on. And that human beings will have to be smart enough to figure the(ir) truth(s) out for themselves.

So, now that I’ve said that, here’s my opinion of the dust-up:

Spike should kick Eastwood’s old ass for saying he should “shut his face.” Then Spike should shut his face. 🙂

Spike, didn’t Eastwood do a whole World War II film from the point of view of the Japanese? Why should every (white) filmmaker be duty-bound to show Black World War II soldiers in the (white) stories they tell?

If I’m making a historical film, I wouldn’t distort history, but I’d want to focus on the story I’m telling. And if I’m telling a story about Blacks in World War II, I’m not going to worry about showing white people. At all. Unless it’s to show the vicious white racism of the period.

If anything, the lack of Blacks in Hollywood World War II films should emphasize the strict segregation of the U.S. armed forces—and in homefont America!—during that time. In the future, I hope Black people will produce more “Tuskegee Airmens” that will tell those painful stories as white people laud “The Greatest Generation.”